Kogi: Gunmen kill inspector, two locals during attack on police station

An inspector and two locals have been killed during an attack on a police station in Kogi State, force authorities confirmed.

William Aya, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state made this known in a statement.

Aya explained that the incident was a fallout of the robbery attacks on two banks in Odo-Ere and Egbe by armed men.

He stressed that the attacks occurred on Tuesday in Yagba West Local Government Area of the state.

Following the incidents, the police launched a manhunt of the suspects in synergy with other security agencies, as well as the local hunters and vigilantes in search of the gunmen said to have escaped to the hills.

The command’s spokesman disclosed that two of the suspects were arrested and taken to the Odo-Ere Division (police station) following the search conducted through aerial surveillance by a police helicopter, along with the special forces.

He, however, said a mob stormed the police facility, demanding that the two suspects arrested be given to them to lynch.

While efforts by the police to pacify the mob proved abortive, Aya said they became violent during which one Inspector Bamisaye Gbenga was killed and another policeman, Sunday Alechenu, was injured.

According to the command’s spokesman , two persons – a male and a female – were also injured in an effort to disperse the mob. But they later died in a hospital while the mob set part of the station ablaze.

The command, however condemned the attack on its facility and called on the residents of Odo Ere, especially the youths to refrain from taking the law into their hands.